The next big thing in fighting cancer

After reading this column for a while, you might feel a bit hopeless in the fight against cancer. It is THE most common cause of death in dogs over 10 years of age. However, there is new hope. It is called immunotherapy and it is one of the most promising treatments to ever come along.Immunotherapy has been used mostly in the world of skin allergies. In skin testing, dogs are challenged with various allergens and we identify which ones are most reactive, then mix up a solution of those, give it back to the dog in small and increasing doses; which lets the dogís own immune system begin to mount its own immune defense; therefore, decreasing the severe allergic reaction.If you receive the bad news that your dog has cancer, it is possible for your veterinarian to remove it surgically, and a sample of the tumor can be sent to the lab. Then, a ìvaccineî of sorts is made for your dog from that tumor. Every tumor is unique, and this is highly unique to your dog so it is not ìone size fits all.î Your dogís tumor cell antigen is then made into a therapy and administered to your dog ñ- and here is where the magic happens. This stimulates your dogís immune system to recognize the cancer. These special immune cells are then harvested and concentrated and become immune killer cells that are given to your dog through IV infusions ó they go to work to kill the remaining cancer in the body. Clearly, this is an over simplification of a very complex process; but, in many cases, it is doubling survival times!Cancer immunotherapy comes in a variety of forms, including targeted antibodies, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell transfer, tumor-infecting viruses and adjuvants. Immunotherapies are a form of biotherapy because they use materials from living organisms to fight disease. Some immunotherapy treatments use genetic engineering to enhance immune cellsí cancer-fighting capabilities; they might be referred to as gene therapies.Here is why using the immune system is such a great idea:

1. The immune system is precise, so it is possible for it to target cancer cells exclusively, while sparing healthy cells ó unlike traditional chemotherapies.
2. The immune system can adapt continuously and dynamically, just like cancer does, so if a tumor manages to escape detection, the immune system can re-evaluate and launch a new attack.
3. The immune systemís ìmemoryî allows it to remember what cancer cells look like, so it can target and eliminate the cancer if it returns.

Immunotherapy doesnít always work for every patient, and certain types of immunotherapy come with side effects. Scientists are developing ways to determine which patients are likely to respond to treatment and which arenít. This research is leading to new strategies to expand the number of patients who may potentially benefit from treatment with immunotherapy.Although scientists have not yet mastered all the immune systemís cancer-fighting capabilities, immunotherapy is already helping to extend and save the lives of many dogs with cancer. Immunotherapy holds the potential to become more precise, more personalized and more effective than current cancer treatments.While I am thrilled we have these new life-saving therapies, you will need to do your homework to find the right doctor and staff to put them into good use. If your veterinarian does not bring this up, that might be a bad sign. Not every DVM knows about these therapies, much less how to implement them into their practice. Each type of immunotherapy needs to be preceded by surgery. Many veterinarians and their facilities do not have the surgical ability to do this properly. You must be under the care of the best professional you can find and that means searching for that person. Every city has its share of bad doctors; we are no exception. Check the Google reviews, look up their website and read about their education; see what others have to say about communications and trustworthiness. God Bless these sweet little creatures that give us so much joy!

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Dr. Jim Humphries is a veterinarian and provides hospice and end-of-life care for pets in the Colorado Springs area. He also serves as a visiting professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. He lives in Falcon with his wife, horses and Great Danes. www.HomeWithDignity.com